The Other Risks of Secondhand Smoke

Children of smokers, it turns out, are more likely to develop pneumonia, bronchitis and other diseases and also are more likely to experiment with smoking during adolescence.

This finding was reported in a new study by the Monell Center. Chief among the findings is that children exposed to secondhand smoke have a less-sensitive cough-reflex, meaning that it takes more irritation to elicit a cough.

A less sensitive cough reflex could render children unaware of aggravating environmental stimulus, potentially putting them at risk for developing respiratory illness.It would also make experimenting with cigarettes as an adolescent less unpleasant.

The findings, reported in the journal Tobacco and Nicotine Research, expose a previously unrecognized health risk from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Tell us what you think: Are you concerned about your own children's exposure to secondhand smoke?